New Shakermaker date...Sat 22nd August

If you are in the West Yorkshire area on Saturday 22d August why not check out 'Shakermaker' at Bar Deco, Bradford Road, Batley?

Ready Steady Go DJs Phil and Paul along with Paul Auty will be spinning a melting pot of mod, ska, indie, northern, motown, britpop and sixties beat classics from 9.30pm until 2.30am.

For further info contact Jay Tel: 0775 198 3217.

Check out the pictures from the Shakermaker launch night back in June at : http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=2009285&id=1517822090

SHAKERMAKER LAUNCH PARTY @ CASALOCO, LEEDS 5th JUNE 2009

RSG! are proud to be associated with a brand new club night in Leeds kicking off Friday 5th June. Featuring a fantastic line-up of 6 DJ's covering the greatest and rarest anthems in Indie - Mod - 60's beat - Northern soul - Britpop - Ska - 2 tone, 2 Live Bands & very competitive drinks prices, all spread over 3 floors of one of Leeds' finest nightspots, Casa Loco (previously Atrium), Grand Arcade, Leeds, LS1 6PG.

DJ's
Paul Ritchie & Phil Cunningham (ready-steady-go.org.uk / strictly vinyl)
Mark 'Liquidator' Young (beatauthority.co.uk)
Tidsey (beatauthority.co.uk)
Jackie Robson (Step On)
Paul Auty (Shakermaker)

Bands
The Finnlys (www.thefinnlys.co.uk)
The Persuasion (www.myspace.com/thepersuasionsonicsoul)

Be a face and dress to impress the in crowd, for what promises to be the start of one of Leeds' greatest club nights...

Tickets £5 O.T.D or advance via website (www.shakermaker.info)

Forget about the real thing - it ain't gonna happen!

Instead, for a nostalgic night of classic Roses tunes, check out Leeds' very own Stone Roses tribute band The Stoned Roses making their much anticipated live debut at the Brudenell Social Club, Leeds on Thursday April 9th.

Ready Steady Go DJs Phil and Paul will be spinning the best baggy tunes all on 100% luscious vinyl including happy mondays, charlatans, paris angels, northside, flowered up, bridewell taxis, james, inspiral carpets, primal scream and many more...

Double, double good!

more info @ www.myspace.com/thestonedrosesuk

Is it really 20 years?

RSG! classic albums #3 - Would You Believe

BILLY NICHOLLS
Would You Believe (Immediate)

Hazy, lazy, dreamy psych pop from swinging London via California or the UK's answer to Pet Sounds?

How long would you half expect the British answer to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album could be criminally left in the can to gather dust? A few years perhaps, due to a bad business deal, or a recent death of the original artist?

How about thirty years? Back in the late sixties the relatively unknown Billy Nicholls recorded an album for Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate record label only for it to be shelved for some unknown reason. A few copies managed to sneak out into the public domain and over the years the album has earned mythical status amongst pop/psych fans that passed the recording into legendary status billing it as "The British answer to Pet Sounds".

In 1999 a vinyl edition of the album was finally given an official release by Tenth Planet but in typical fashion the album was limited to 1000 copies thus ensuring that the vinyl version is destined to retain it's mythical status for a good few years to come yet. It has since been re-issued on CD by Sanctuary.

So what makes this album so important especially when the artist behind the album cannot remember anything at all about it as he told Dawn Eden in the May 1997 issue of Mojo?
Well there are a number of reasons. Firstly there are the many Small Faces/Who connections associated with Billy Nicholls that will prompt many people to investigate this album with eager anticipation. Secondly, the fact that such a rare item could be ranked alongside the Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds' and remain undiscovered for so long. After hearing this album all you could possibly ask is, why?

Billy Nicholls couldn't have entered the music business much more brash and brazen than as a sixteen year old kid in 1966 who approached George Harrison, of all people, to help him record his songs. Harrison arranged for him to record a demo, but the Beatles publisher Dick James lost the tapes. By way of an apology James arranged some free studio time for Nicholls to record another demo.

Enter Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones manager, who had just set up his 'Immediate' record label and was keen to build up his roster of acts. He heard Nicholls demo and was suitably impressed enough to hire Nicholls as a staff songwriter.

It was at 'Immediate' that the young Nicholls become friendly with the Small Faces. Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane contributed to the majestic 'Would You Believe' track. You can hear Marriott's vocal on this track despite Loog Oldham's attempts to drown them out with heavy orchestration.

'Would You Believe' was released as a single in January 1968 but failed to chart despite favourable reviews. Oldham though was keen to pursue his ambitions of matching the music coming out of America most notably the Beach Boys and he proceeded to produce an album with Nicholls that would match the 'teenage symphonies to God' vibe that Brian Wilson was creating.

The big budget production and heavy use of orchestration points to the influence of Brian Wilson but many of the songs on the album have more in common with the pop psych of the swinging London scene. The Small Faces psych opus 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake', the Kinks quintessential 'Village Green Preservation Society' and the Beatles ambiguous 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'. All three are closely linked with the sounds that emanate from this album.

Pencilled in for an April 1968 release the album never reached the shops. A cash flow crisis for the fledgling 'Immediate' label is the most obvious reason for Andrew Loog Oldham getting cold feet but why the album has remained untouched for so many years you begin to wonder if other forces were at work also.

Nicholls went on to provide uncredited backing vocals to the Small Faces 'Ogdens' album before hooking up with Pete Townshend to work on various solo and band projects. He has also released a further three solo albums and has enjoyed many years working as musical director for the Who. He has also written hit singles for Leo Sayer and Roger Daltrey, but don't let that put you off!

Billy Nicholls is still very much active in the music business. For more info on Billy Nicholls check out his website http://www.billynicholls.com/. To purchase the album click here.

RSG classic albums #2 - Roots

Curtis Mayfield

Roots (Curtom 1971)

Curtis Mayfield. Spiritualist, Preacher man, Soul Saviour, Funkateer: Curtis Mayfield's 'Roots' captures all of these labels so consistently across seven engrossing tracks. From the dirty, funky grooves of 'Get Down' and 'Underground' to the inspirational message songs like, 'Keep On Keeping On' and 'We Got To Have Peace'.

From his early work with the Impressions to his solo work and beyond, his back catalogue is not short on highlights. He wrote and produced hundreds of tracks for other artists and influenced thousands more. His work covered all bases from northern soul, blaxploitation soundtracks, funk and soulful ballads to gospel and social politics. Classic Curtis Mayfield tracks are blessed with a sweet, soothing falsetto voice and sublime orchestrated production courtesy of arranger Johnny Pate.

'Roots' was recorded in Curtis' home town of Chicago at RCA studios along with his current road band and assistance from regular arrangers Riley Hampton and Johnny Pate. The funky club bound groove of 'Get Down' opens the album in fine style. 'Keep On Keeping On' is an inspirational anthem with a strong message about the importance of education and the effects it can have on changing future generations. It's also got a great feel good vibe and speaks of self determination, about not giving up and battling on against the odds. The song title is a phrase oft repeated by Soul fans along with 'Keep the faith' as a sign of solidarity and strength or to describe their unwavering passion for Soul music.

'Underground' returns to a funky mode and talks about pollution and the destruction of the planet at the hands of powerful multinationals. In these times of global warming it's a tale that remains eerily prophetic. As a social commentator, Mayfield's finger was always on the pulse and the anti-war sentiments of 'We Got To Have Peace' are as bold and relevant as ever today. Despite the heavy tones of the subject matter, Mayfield's true skills can be found in the music which always remained freshly sophisticated and uplifting.

'Beautiful Brother Of Mine' talks about black pride. It is one of the many tracks Curtis wrote to specifically to reach out and inspire America's disenchanted black youth. The album closes with two love songs. 'Now You're Gone' is reminiscent of his early Impressions sides but better still is the majestic 'Love To Keep You In My Mind'.

Listen and weep to the perfect melodic twists and turns of the album's closer, 'Love To Keep You In My Mind', a perfect example of Curtis at his understated best. The production is breathtakingly simple and poignant. Swirling strings and a steady complimentary brass arrangement are harmoniously stitched together by the voice of an angel.

Released in 1971 at a time of social change and political unrest the album perfectly captures the spirit of the times with message songs that still resonant today. Mayfield's social commentary is as relevant now as it was back when it was recorded. Soul music was changing too by the dawn of the seventies. The Motown sound would be shaken up by Marvin Gaye's 'What’s Goin On' released the same year. James Brown funk was getting dirtier and Mayfield too, was soon to become a purveyor of the new funk sound that would be the soundtrack of the American urban underground.

Love songs or message songs, the songs of Curtis Mayfield penetrate deep into the conscience without any noticeable force. Grace and dignity over shouting and screaming was Mayfield's preferred trait. The message still hits home hard.

Curtis didn't approve of the album title or the awkward looking portrait on the cover but I feel time has proved that 'Roots' is a worthy word as it captures the depth and importance of Curtis' work. The slightly dated cheesy cover also adds a light paradox to the deeper contents it hides from the unsuspecting listener.

'Roots' can be found on a twofer CD on 'Sequel Records' backed with the equally superb 'Sweet Exorcist' from 1974 or on it’s own in all physical formats. Buy this album today! The clip below, shows Curtis singing 'We Got To Have Peace' is taken from the Old Grey Whistle Test TV show.